Ishgar's Strongest
A busy day in Aconite Town, Nikolai called all the S-Class mages back to Pantheon. It was one of many festivals that Aconite Town has. "Selina, Pietro, Eve, Vance, Carlito, and Drake. It's time for a festival. It helps the town's economy to have them many times a year." Meanwhile at the Magic Council.... "Will your family be willing to pay for half of the festival as we have kindly asked?" The Magic Council chairman asked Shōjirō Kusaka, the next head of the Kusaka Clan and conglomerate, one of the oldest and wealthiest families in the entire Fiore Kingdom. Shōjirō had one of pinky fingers in his ear obviously bored by the man speaking to him. "Why not. I'm sure gramps wont mind. Is that all you wanted to ask me? Can I go now?" Shōjirō said flatly, again, obviously bored. "If you agree to this, you will be required to participate in the battle royal. Considering your standing as one of the Ten Wizard Saints you will be required to hold the bulk of your power back. Do you agree?" Still bored, Shōjirō said flatly again, "Sure. Why not?" Shōjirō still bored turned and left before the council chairman could say anything else. The day of the festival... Shōjirō got to the town. Selina, Eve, Pietro were fighting Drake. Vance and Carlito were also fighting, entertaining the town and tourists. Shōjirō's face lit up when he saw Drake. "Hey, grandpa." Shōjirō said sarcastically as he called out to Drake. Drake comically sent the three that he was sparring with flying through the air as he jumped down form the stage he was on. He bowed to Shōjirō, "Its been to long Master Shōjirō. How have you been? How if your grandmother, Lady Hana?" Drake said excitably, shaking Shōjirō's hand followed by a hug, which Shōjirō returned. Shōjirō smiled as he and Drake broke away from their embrace. "You know grandma. If anything refuses to die it going to be her." Shōjirō laughed as he turned his attention to Vance, "Hello little dragon boy." Vance's brows furrowed, a clear sign that he was irritated, "We have unfinished business. I want a rematch." Vance demanded of Shōjirō. "Maybe some other time..." Shōjirō dismissed Vance, turning his attention back to Drake, "Where's your guild master. He's footing the other half of the bill for this festival along with my family." Nikolai was behind Shōjirō. "Hello, Shōjirō the battle is going well. But come over here I need to talk to you seriously." "Let me guess, you need another barrel of sake to deal with your band of boobs, right?" Shōjirō said on a lighthearted chuckle. "But what's up?" Nikolai look serious. "No, the Magic Council wants a new top Wizard Saint. Your the only current one that can advance to that level. Out of non Wizard Saints, I am one of three others with powers equal or surpassing God Serena's level. I don't want it, I don't need the burden of it. Your already one, so how about you take it?" Shōjirō scratched his head. "Top saint. I don't know. They gave me the title for whatever reason while I was traveling. My reputation already scares away any would be wizard. What exactly would I do with such a title. Frankly I don't really want it either, just means something more the council could hang over my head saying, 'Well we gave you the title, so we want something in return' and that's the last thing I want." Shōjirō said to Nikolai, more complaining than anything. "No, you take the title, I don't want it either." Shōjirō offered up the title to Nikolai. "No. I don't want it more. Even more so than by default. I already have numerous obligations. All you do it travel around, I find many things and I help with the other guilds. Even though I fit the criteria, I already do enough for this town and all of Ishgar. A bet, the loser will give up and become the Rank 1. Wizard Saint. Also fund my town's festivals for the next year. And let me say, it's not cheap even for crazy rich mages like us. An odd bet, the loser becomes the strongest recognized Mage in Ishgar." "Interesting proposal. I'll accept." Shōjirō held out his hand for Nikolai to shake it. "And FYI, during my travels I destroyed numerous dark guilds, captured countless bandits, and build numerous schools, hospitals, and orphanages. So it's not like I was just doing nothing." Shōjirō informed Nikolai. Nikolai shook his hand. "I know, but for the last sixty years, I have stop many wars in fact this not the first time, I was asked to be the top Saint." Shōjirō sighed, "Lets just agree that we've both made are form of significant contributions to society. So what are we to do now until the festival gets into full swing and our exhibition starts?" "Well we could...." Nikolai moved out the way, Drake hit Vance and he went flying into Shōjirō in a comical manner, thus resting against a wall . "Hahahaha, sorry I forgot to say duck." Shōjirō comically kicked Vance off of himself, sending him crashing into Nikolai, "Hey, dragon dunce, you can't beat him. Now then what were you saying Nikolai? Nikolai? Where'd you go?" Shōjirō looked around. He spotted him underneath Vance. Nikolai's Magic Power blasted Vance into the sky. " Let's enjoy the fight between my guild, I always fight last." "Works for me. Until then I'm going to find some place to get a bite to eat and something to drink." Shōjirō turned and walked away from Nikolai and disappeared into the crowd. The Battle Begins Several hours earlier. An announcer speaks. "Good afternoon Aconite Town! It's my pleasure for the S-Class vs. Nik..." A man whispers in his ear. "A change has been made. I am proud and honored to say. The Wizard Saint Shōjirō Kusaka will face our Master Nikolai!" It shifts to Nikolai. "Now because of our powers I always fight in one of Carlito's world. His Arc of Kingdoms will give us a dimension to fight in. Carlito now. Yes master." Carlito grabbed Nikolai's and Shōjirō's hands and were sucked into a vortex. They were in an exact replica of Aconite Town." Carlito can you hear me? Yes master." Carlito made special Lacrima from his Magic Power that can be seen into his created world. Shōjirō looked a little unsure as he took in his surroundings. "Are you sure that this place will hold up against our combined powers?" "Oh yes, the Arc of Kingdoms cannot be undone. It's impervious to any and all entries and exist except the creator's. Only the Moon Drip or my God of the Moon Spell can break us out. Carlito will release us when I tell him to, or if he dies. He also made Lacrima all over Aconite Town, that others can hear and see us here." Shōjirō relaxed a bit. "Alright then." Shōjirō's magic surged up and exploded off of his body, releasing a massive shockwave towards Nikolai. Nikolai waved his hand and stop the shockwave. "That is not an attack this is." He lifted his hand and Shōjirō was lift in the sky. He then slammed him into the ground. He then used his Telekinesis to hit him under telekinetic force. It was like bricks were slamming all over him. Shōjirō stood up, his body encased in some form of diamond-like crystalline substance, Shōjirō swung his right arm, launching the same crystal substance that coated his body towards Nikolai. "My Diamond Body is extremely durable. I didn't even feel a thing." Shōjirō said to Nikolai as the crystal shards flew at him. Shōjirō doubled the attack, launching a large blast of lightning at Nikolai along with the crystal shards. The attacks hit Nikolai. The Lightning it him, and the diamonds stuck in him. "Ouch, bad move Shōjirō. You gave me some of your body and more importantly Magic. Creator's Eye, Enemy Armor." The diamonds that were in Nikolai were gone, he then was covered in the same diamond body. Also lightning surrounded him. "Giving parts of yourself to another Mage, not a good idea." After he finished that sentence he kicked Shōjirō in the stomach. Sending lightning through his diamond body. Both Nikolai's and Shōjirō's body had cracks in it. The lightning had been sent through the diamonds breaking them apart somewhat. Nikolai then was flying. "Had enough?" Shōjirō channeled his Lightning Magic into his right hand, the lightning and electricity taking the approximate shape of a blade, "Raikiri", Shōjirō calmly stated as he slashed at Nikolai's armor, splitting it straight down the middle. "Don't forget, the Diamond Body is a signature of my family, and as such I know the in's and out's of it intimately. Now try this," Shōjirō's body turned into a mass of electricity, moving closer to Nikolai at an incredible rate, Shōjirō's body re-solidifying once he was within a hairs width away from him. Shōjirō pressed the index finger of his right hand to Nikolai's right shoulder, calmly stating again, "Raikōsen," as a small, thin beam of lightning tore through Nikolai's shoulder, leaving a small but gaping hole in it. Shōjirō finished his current assault by slamming Nikolai from above with what could only be described as an increase in gravity, the ground cracking and breaking as Nikolai hit it, hard. Nikolai got up, dusted himself off and coughed blood. "Impressive, I can see how at so young an age you became a Saint. However, you lack finishing power in your attacks." Nikolai used his telekinesis to bring Shōjirō to the ground. He then released a scarlet and Raven sphere at his opponent by snapping his fingers. The sphere grew to a larger proportion. " This is an attack with finishing power, Destruction Magic." Shōjirō took a deep breath in, then out as he said under his breath to himself, "Nullification of magic in, 5...4...3...2...1. Nullification of magic, complete. Full Counter." The scarlet and raven colored sphere of energy was redirected back at Nikolai in an instant. Shōjirō stood up and dusted himself off. "My spells don't have any power because the ones I've used so far are the weakest of my spells. How about I try this?" Shōjirō tapped the ground gently with the tip of his toes, which sent the ground forward in multiple, jagged spike of rock and earth towards Nikolai. "Creator's Eye, God of the Moon." Suddenly all the spells were gone. "The spikes stopped in their tracks. "It's not complete and something I can't use to often but it works. It replicas the effects of the Moon Drip spell. "This battle wouldn't be decided by spells. But, by experience." Shōjirō took another deep breath. "Second Origin, release, forty-five percent." Shōjirō said as his magical power surged from his body, enough magic to literally drench the area in such an abundance that it caused detrimental effects on the environment. The ground under Shōjirō's feet cracked, it even groaned from the release of magic and the pressure it exerted. Shōjirō disappeared in an instant, reappearing in front of Nikolai as he delivered a powerful punch to Nikolai's stomach, sending him flying backwards through multiple buildings. Shōjirō had already arrived before Nikolai as he came crashing through the wall. Shōjirō continued hs assault by Nikolai up towards the upper corner of the building they were in, breaking the wall and sending Nikolai reeling through the air again. Nikolai then stopped, and rushed at Shōjirō. He then delivered punches to his face and kicks to his stomach sending him through five houses. "Creator's Eye, God's Right Hand:." An elegant broadsword manifested in his right hand. He then made a slash at Shōjirō's back. He draw blood, he then slammed him into the ground. "Surrender yet, boy?" Shōjirō's back only bled for a few seconds. As Shōjirō stood his signature weapon appeared in his right hand, his Kagutsuchi, a katana with its cutting edge on the back of the blade. "Do you really want to test your swordsmanship against me? I'm currently one of the greatest swordsmen in all of Earthland." A sheath appeared in Shōjirō's other hand as he sheathed his blade. Shōjirō charged Nikolai, unsheathing his blade at a speed inconceivable to humans as his blade connected with Nikolai's side, cracking two of hi slower ribs, breaking one of his upper ribs, and completely shattering the rest. Shōjirō appeared, re-sheathing his blade, "Are you ready to surrender, old man?" Nikolai was starting to get hurt, was time Shōjirō suffered a real attack. Nikolai cut the space between him and Shōjirō. He walked toward him, and crushed the bones in Shōjirō's left arm. The sword shattered to pieces. "You cracked my ribs I break an arm. My God's Right Hand, can cut concepts. I cut the concept of defense, thus for a moment between you an I, defense wasn't possible. However, after that God's Right Hand is discarded, and won't reappear for a long time." Shōjirō winced at the pain in his left arm. He coated it in his Diamond Body crystal so as to protect it. Shōjirō's sword disappeared from his hand as another one replaced it, this new sword had a black blade and was slightly shorter than the last. Shōjirō started to channel a huge amount of his Fire Magic into the blade of his new sword before he made a slashing motion from where he was standing. As Shōjirō slashed his sword everything in the path of the slash simply disappeared, as an invisible force barreled towards Nikolai, "You better watch out, otherwise you're as good as dead." Shōjirō calmly warned Nikolai. Nikolai started to think. "God of the Moon, no too risky it might do more harm to me than his attack." Nikolai floated into the sky. He barley missed the attack. "Creator's Eye, God's Left Hand. This is something I haven't used in the last 20 years." Nikolai then sent shockwaves at Shōjirō. Shōjirō countered with shockwaves produced by the simple release of his magical power. Shōjirō's body flashed with light for a moment, Shōjirō using Requip, except that his outward appearance hadn't changed. "Is that it? Then let me take the opportunity," Shōjirō said to Nikolai as he raised his right hand up, drawing an invisible line in the air above Nikolai's head before he swiped his hand back down the same path he drew a second ago, "Orion's Spear," he called as a large beam of golden light shot down from the sky, crashing into Nikolai and ending in a violent explosion. Shōjirō body returned to wearing his previous outfit before a requip. "Crap that one hurt, however it's moot. You are crazy powerful, but you fell to try even now. Creator's Eye, Healing." Shōjirō and Nikolai were healed greatly. Except for Shōjirō's left arm, and Nikolai's ribs. "I can't have us keep fighting forever. Now God's Left Hand, unlike God's Right Hand restores altered forces. Be they space, time, or even concepts that form reality. So the right hand cuts and the left hand undoes (cuts)." Nikolai then dropped a house on Shōjirō, with his Telekinesis. The house exploded right as it landed on Shōjirō, sending debris and shrapnel in every conceivable direction. "If you want me to get serious, I 'll get serious," Shōjirō started to release a massive quantity of magical power, "Second origin, release. Fifty-five percent." Shōjirō's hair lengthened, and turned white in color. "If I remember correctly, your spell can be undone by some form of a sacrifice, right? You may not know this but my admittance to the Wizard Saints was for my knowledge of magic. And I remember reading something about your Creators Eye a while back. That's how I know." Shōjirō grabbed a lock of his hair in his right hand and cut it off using a blade make form the crystal covering on his left arm, "Will this suffice?" "To think the Magic Council had haft decent researchers." Shōjirō cut hair vanished undoing the spell. "Creator's Eye, Creator's Throne." A golden aura surrounded Nikolai. He then released a powerful shockwave at Shōjirō point blank. He cracked a few ribs but what he really was aiming for was to send vibrations threw his body. Doing celluar damage causing great pain. "Surrender yet?" Shōjirō was shaken, but still standing. "If you know my gramps, then you should know that that isn't enough to stop me. My training under him was brutal. He doesn't know how to hold back, even when just training. So no I don't surrender." Shōjirō raised his right hand and shot a weak blast of light towards Nikolai, as if testing him for something. The attack hit him, but a small amount of light appeared around Shōjirō and exploded on him. "You shouldn't hurt a god, next." "That's what I though. You seem to need something to protect yourself. But a spell like that, really?" Shōjirō grinned as he goaded Nikolai sarcastically. "Come on drop the chair and fight me like a man, or are you afraid you're going to break a hip, huh, grandpa?" Shōjirō continued to goad Nikolai in a sarcastic manner. "Grandpa?" Seeing as Nikolai was eternally youth, any hit to his age was something that pisses him off greatly. Shōjirō was now in for a world of pain. "I shouldn't do this, however for you I need a powerful spell to defeat you." He picked up a shard of diamond from Shōjirō's early attack. He used the sharp edge to slightly cut his forehead. In that second that blood appeared, the Creator's Throne was undone . However, many pillars of black fires appeared from the ground of the replica town. "Creator's Eye, Heaven's Wrath. I wouldn't move, these fires target anything moving. Also, when I say fire it's not exactly that. They were fires however they change ever second into something else. But still appear as a pillar of black flames. They change so rapidly I doubt even your immensely powerful Vector Magic can stop it. Their purpose is to become the anithesis to whatever it touches. Even I have troubles with it." The wound to his forehead was gone no blood or scar. Shōjirō stood their for a few moments thinking about what to do next. "I could use my Zanjitsu Gokui, but that might not work, and if it doesn't that's just a waste of my magic. Shōjirō thought to himself, contemplating what to do next. Shōjirō suppressed his magical power to the point that even a master sensor like Nikolai couldn't sense his presence. Shōjirō made his move. He vanished from the spot he was in, not breaking his stealth form his suppressed magical power, as he appeared behind Nikolai striking him with a powerful punch to his spine and sending him barreling towards the flame-like constructs he himself created. "How will you deal with this?" Nikolai had used his Magic Power to protect his spine. "Trickery won't help you." Nikolai stopped right before the pillar. He turned around. The fires seemed to try and grab him, however they went after his left arm only. "The fires can be controlled by offering parts of yourself." His left arm was badly burn. " This spell is one of my strongest attacks." He shot the fires at Shōjirō. The pillars as well started to go after him for moving, they were moving so fast. Leaving little time to avoid completely. Shōjirō's magic exploded from his body as he was wrapped in a cloak of golden light. Shōjirō vanished again, this time moving at a speed that Nikolai couldn't track, even with Shōjirō emitting such strong magical power. Shōjirō slammed into Nikolai, seemingly from any and every direction possible, going at him in an unrelenting assault, a golden streak the only thing anyone who was watching outside of the dimension could make out. Shōjirō stopped, hovering above Nikolai, as he placed both of his hands on top of each other, with the top hand having only his index and middle fingers spread out, as seven magic circles appeared in the sky connecting to one another above Nikolai, as Shōjirō calmly stated the name of his spell, "Grand Chariot," releasing seven blasts of golden light down upon Nikolai, resulting in an explosion. "Ok now your being annoying." Nikolai was bloody as hell. " Creator's Eye, Gravity Prison." Shōjirō was brought slamming into the ground. "The fires moved in, completely emerging Shōjirō in their blaze. Shōjirō, under the increased gravity, said under his breath, "Zanjitsu Gokui," as a truly monstrous amount of heat was released from his body, as it seemed to actually melt the flames that were targeting him. Shōjirō pulled himself up from the ground, counteracting the increased gravity that Nikolai had put him under his ability to manipulate gravity through the use of his Heavenly Body Magic. Shōjirō was standing, but he was far from unscathed, he was burned across his back and shoulder blades, and was now panting, having used a considerable amount of magic to defend himself with in that last defensive effort. "Agh. Son of a bitch that burns, literally. Now you're really starting to piss me off." Shōjirō drew his sword, the one with the black blade. Shōjirō gathered a large amount of magical power at the tip of his blade before swinging his blade downwards, releasing a wave of energy that started off slow, but soon gained speed and size exponentially as it charged at Nikolai. "Just accept your role." Nikolai used a powerful Destruction Magic spell. It grew in size and canceled out Shōjirō's attack. Shōjirō was growing tired of the back and forth, the way things were at the current moment he and Nikolai were evenly matched overall. "Second origin, release. Seventy-five percent." Shōjirō's magic swelled up, then erupted even more then it had throughout this entire battle. The rush of magic that was released from Shōjirō was enough to send a quake throughout the entire dimension that they were fighting in. Shōjirō's body was cloaked in an overwhelming magical aura, his hair had lengthened again, now reaching towards the middle of his back. "Are you ready? Cause here I come." Shōjirō vanished, or more like he had teleported was next to Nikolai in an instant. He punched Nikolai, sending him flying through multiple buildings. "We should probably start bringing this to an end." Nikolai was getting tired himself. "Agreed, Carlito won't let us out until a winner is decided. Release your full power and I'll do them same." "Second origin, release. Ninety-five percent..." Shōjirō said to himself. Shōjirō's magic swelled up and once again exploded from his body, this time the sheer pressure from the release of his magic forced and unprepared Nikolai to his knees from the force of it. Shōjirō readied himself for his final attack. Shōjirō positioned his hands in a strange manner, one that Nikolai couldn't recognize, as he was assaulted by such an intense increase of gravity, "Prepare yourself. If you don't manage to block, dodge, or counter, you'll die..." Shōjirō warned Nikolai as nine magic circles appeared in the sky, the middle one, or the fifth in the line up, was the largest. As the magic circle at the top began to glow a bright golden light, Shōjirō gave Nikolai a piece of advice, "You'd be better off trying one of the first two options because the chances of actually countering this spell are beyond low." the first magic circle shot a beam of golden light down, sending it crashing into the second magic circle which charged even more power before repeating the process until the magic struck the fifth magic circle, which cause the magic to be shot downwards at an incredible speed before striking Nikolai, resulting in a truly massive explosion, enough to cause the dimension created by Nikolai's S-Class magic to barely contain it. The moment before the attack hit him, he cast one last spell. Quite arguably his strongest spell. "Creator's Eye, God of the Eternal World." His body has changed he turned more muscular. His hair and body turned white as snow. After the smoke cleared he lost his shirt and was covered in bruises. "To image to use this spell. And you dishonor me by putting any limit to your power, I said all of it." Nikolai's power became so powerful it basically is omnipresent. It fell like another world was on top of them. "Here I come, I won't use any spells of other magic. I won't even use the Creator's Eye. This form is the full release of the Personal Reality. My body is basically the Personal Reality. Meaning I can image myself as the strongest form I can mentally handle." With that last word he made a fist and rushed at Shōjirō. "This one fist holds my power. All of it, if you dishonor me again it will kill you...and maybe me." Shōjirō sighed, "Fine. Second origin, release. One-hundred percent." Shōjirō's body disappeared, covered by a dense aura of magical power that was being released from his body. Shōjirō began charging Lightning Magic into his right hand until it seemingly dissipated, it couldn't even be heard. Shōjirō charged at Nikolai as he thrust his fist forward, his and Nikolai's hands clashing, resulting in an explosion in size unlike anything that had been seen in this fight by far. The fists clashed. "The attacks are equal." The fists slipped away and the force drew the fist into each other's face. Knocked them out simultaneously. The dimension was still held tight but . Carlito released them and Pantheon's healing mage, started to work on them. Nikolai was in bed and Shōjirō was in another bed. "Shōjirō wake up." They slept through the rest of the festival. Shōjirō's eyes flew open before closing again, only to open again but only slightly due to the light that filled the room he was in. Shōjirō let out a weak groan, followed by saying a little bit stronger, only a little bit, "Ugh, where am I? What the hell happened..." Shōjirō tried to sit up, wincing at the pain that tore through his chest, and the rest of his body as he looked around the room. Nikolai was just waking up, like Shōjirō was. "Hey Nick, what he hell happened?" "Don't you know, we are in bed recovering from a fight." Shōjirō face palmed himself. "I can see that. I mean what happened at the end of our fight." Shōjirō said back with a "Duh" look on his face. "We defeated each other. However it does seem my attack caused memory loss. The town loved the fight, they spent over 100 million jewels in one hour." Shōjirō scratched his head. "If it was a draw, how to you want to do about our wager? I guess I can take the title of first god of Ishgar. Do you want to have our families split the funding for the festival next year as well?" Shōjirō asked Nikolai. "It's your choice, however remember there is no consequence to reject it. I have for the last 100 years. Also I thank you, for the offer but I can't accept that. This town was my families castle land, before it was destroyed. I made a promise to the surviving families that served in on my land of those that died. They would live without me ruling them, and I'd fund their town." After that Drake, Carlito, Vance, Eve, Pietro, and Selina came in the room. "If that is what you want, I'll accept the title, and I'll respect your families traditions." Shōjirō sighed as he laid back in the bed he was in. "Master the town wants to honor you for your fight. What do you think?" Carlito asked the other S-Class." Shōjirō sat up, "They only want to honor him. Not like I really care..." Shōjirō said, and he meant it, he really didn't care. "All I really want to do right now is go home and sleep, for like a month." Shōjirō's golden dragon pipe appeared in his hand a second later. Shōjirō packed the bowl of his pipe, lighting it with his thumb which was on fire as he inhaled the smoke. Shōjirō took a few puffs off of his pipe before he started feeling his magic replenishing itself at a rapid pace. He was starting to feel better already, but he was still sore. "So Nikolai, what next?" "Come and celebrate you earned it. Drake, Vance, Simca, you said you wanted to fight me again. Want to?" Shōjirō laughed, then winced as a sharp pain shot through his ribs, "Come on Nikolai, that's still unfair. For them to fight use we'd have to blinded, crippled, and have no arms." Shōjirō pulled himself from his bed, his clothes, a large, baggy t-shirt, and equally baggy shirts and slip-on sandals appearing on his body in an instant, as well as his signature staff, Shōjirō using it as a walking stick slash crutch at the moment. "Well, lets go enjoy the festival. I could really use a drink." Shōjirō was then forced back onto the bed. "You will be in bed until the healers say you can go enjoy the festivities." Eve said with a firm look. "Better listen to her, Eve isn't called Gaia the Earth Mother for nothing." Said Nikolai. "But your right they..." Vance was close up by Nikolai's face looking excited like he wanted to fight him now. Shōjirō pouted like a petulant child, "Fine..." Shōjirō laid back in his bed, rolling over he fell asleep.